Daniel - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

1Now at that time, Michael, the great prince, who stands over the children of your people, will be silent, and it will be a time of distress that never was since a nation existed until that time, and at that time, your people will escape, everyone who is found inscribed in the book.

Now at that time, Michael… will be silent: He will be silent like a mute person, for he will see the Holy One, blessed be He, judging by Himself and saying, “How will I destroy a great nation like this for the sake of Israel?”

and it will be a time of distress: in heaven there will be accusations against Torah scholars, [and there will be] plunderers and plunderers of plunderers, as our Rabbis said in the Aggadah in the last chapter of Kethuboth (112b).

your people will escape: The kingdom of Gog will be destroyed and Israel will escape.

everyone who is found inscribed in the book: This is a short verse, [meaning] whoever is found inscribed in this Book, through the dreams inscribed in it (7:11): “until the beast is slain” ; (verse 18): “and the high holy ones will receive the kingdom.” All will be fulfilled.

2And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken-these for eternal life, and those for disgrace, for eternal abhorrence.

7And I heard the man clad in linen, who was above the waters of the river, and he raised his right hand and his left hand to the heavens, and he swore by the Life of the world, that in the time of [two] times and a half, and when they have ended shattering the strength of the holy people, all these will end.

and when they have ended shattering the strength of the holy people: Heb. נַפֵּץ יַד, lit. shattering the hand. When Israel’s strength terminates, [similar to] (Deut. 32:36): “that power has vanished (אָזְלַת יַד) and nothing left to keep or abandon.”

8And I heard, but I did not understand, and I said, "My lord, what is the end of these?"

And from the time the daily sacrifice was removed: in order to place a silent abomination in its stead, are days of one thousand two hundred and ninety years since the daily sacrifice was removed until it will be restored in the days of our King Messiah, and this calculation coincides with the calculation of (8:14): “evening and morning, two thousand and three hundred” from the day of their exile to Egypt until the final redemption: Egyptian exile 210; From their Exodus until the First Temple 480; First Temple 410; Babylonian exile 70; Second Temple 420; Totaling 1590. The daily sacrifice was removed six years before the destruction, which equals 1584. Add 1290, and the total sum is 2874; like the numerical value of בֹּקֶר עֶרֶב [574] plus 2300 [2874].

12Fortunate is he who waits and reaches days of one thousand, three hundred, and thirty-five.

Fortunate is he who waits etc.: Forty five years are added to the above number, for our King Messiah is destined to be hidden after he is revealed and to be revealed again. So we find in Midrash Ruth, and so did Rabbi Eleazar HaKalir establish (in the concluding poem of the morning service of the portion dealing with the month of Nissan): “and he will be concealed from them six weeks of years.”

13And you, go to the end, and you will rest and rise to your lot at the end of the days."

at the end of the days: Heb. לְקֵץ הַיָמִין, like הַיָמִים בְּאַחֲרִית. We cannot interpret הַיָמִין as an expression of the right hand, because it is mentioned in the Large Masorah among the six words that are unusual because they have a final “nun” at the end of the word, which serves instead of a “mem,” and there is none like them, e.g. (Job 31:10): “and may others (אֲחֵרִין) kneel upon her;” (ibid. 24:22): “and he is not sure of life (בַּחַיִין) ” (Ezek. 4: 9): “take yourself wheat (חִטִין) ” ; (ibid. 26:18): “Now the isles (הָאִיִן) will tremble;” (Prov. 31:3): “to the pleasures of kings;” (here): “to the end of the days (הַיָמִין).”